House Speaker John Boehner won't allow a vote on the Senate immigration bill: which has 85 percent support. This implies 187 Republicans vote "aye" if all Democrats voted "aye." Can't this bill be brought to a vote?

The Hastert Rule — "a majority of the majority" — has morphed from meaning 118 to requiring 217 votes: the vote count to elect the speaker. Precedent indicates that all votes electing the speaker must be cast by the party in the majority.

However, House rules say the speaker is elected by the majority of votes cast: 217 or more. The math: in a extreme case a Republican speaker could be elected by 199 Democrat and 18 Republican votes, moreover the speaker need not be an elected member of the House. Democrats: For the next Speaker nominate a Republican patriot and invite 18 Republicans to vote for a less partisan speaker.